What do you think?

[Leshaface]

So I'm thinking about getting the Deluxe Dining plan for jan 2010. That pretty much means 3 sit down meals a day. We might get tired of having to stick to a schedule where it would interrupt attractions/shows.

I want to make reservations for dinner and breakfast, but what do you think about not having reservations for lunch and just calling the dining line to see what is available anywhere at that time that I call?

It seems much more adventurous, seeing as we have no idea what will be open and where we will have to go to eat lunch.

Has anybody done this before? Do you call the dining line or does guest relations at any of the theme parks have access to making dining reservations?

 

[dburg30]

So I'm thinking about getting the Deluxe Dining plan for jan 2010. That pretty much means 3 sit down meals a day. We might get tired of having to stick to a schedule where it would interrupt attractions/shows.

I want to make reservations for dinner and breakfast, but what do you think about not having reservations for lunch and just calling the dining line to see what is available anywhere at that time that I call?

It seems much more adventurous, seeing as we have no idea what will be open and where we will have to go to eat lunch.

Has anybody done this before? Do you call the dining line or does guest relations at any of the theme parks have access to making dining reservations?

Guest relations can check dining for you.

 

[Leshaface]

thanks dburg! I'm hoping since I'm going during a less busy time, there may be more options for lunch

 

[TigerKat]

Unless I'm mistaken you can use your meal credits for either table or counter service. Please let me know if I am incorrect as I'm just starting to decide between the regular DP or the DeluxDP.

 

[Leshaface]

yes! I believe you can use the deluxe plan for ts or cs. It would seem like a wiser choice though to use ts instead of cs for the money you're paying for the Deluxe plan.

 

[TigerKat]

yes! I believe you can use the deluxe plan for ts or cs. It would seem like a wiser choice though to use ts instead of cs for the money you're paying for the Deluxe plan.

Where can I find this info?

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes, you can use deluxe meal credits for either table or counter service. Obviously greatest value for the credits can be gotten at table service.

 

[TigerKat]

Yes, you can use deluxe meal credits for either table or counter service. Obviously greatest value for the credits can be gotten at table service.

The only reason we may use them for CS is because we're only going for four nights and plan on signature restaurants for dinner and may use the rest for some CS for breakfast or lunch. I'm really bad at figuring this stuff out so I appreciate any help I can get from my fellow DISers.

OP - Sorry for going way OT.

 

[kristenrice]

One thing you'll want to consider is the time involved to actually sit down and eat 3 table service meals per day. DH and I did the "gold plan" on our honeymoon which was the equivalent of today's platinum plan. We tried 3 table service meals per day (without a car) and by the third day, we were miserable. We would eat breakfast at 8, lunch at 1 and dinner at 7. We never ate at the same place twice. Without a car, each meal at a different resort took up about 3 hours from our room and back. Not only that, but by the time we had digested one meal, it was time to start heading to the next meal. Honestly, we love food, but this was serious overkill.

In January, the theme parks will open late and close early so you need to look at your time management. Our honeymoon was in Sept. so the MK was often closed by 6, AK at 5, DHS at 7 and Epcot at 9. When the parks close early, you might be "forced" to eat dinner at a resort. Without a car, using only Disney transportation, it is a PITA to get back to your resort. (Of course, this was before evening EMH so you'd be a little better off now)

If touring the parks is a lesser priority than enjoying your dining, then you will be fine. Plan on blocking at least 5 hours a day for dining purposes. This covers 3 TS meals and the transportation times involved. You will probably do better booking a TS meal for breakfast and then doing a signature restaurant for dinner. You'll find that it is very difficult to actually eat 3 TS meals a day.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

 

[TDC Nala]

Disney leaves it entirely up to you whether or not you want to use your credits for table or counter service when you are on the deluxe plan. Some users want to completely maximize their credits and plan to use all of them for TS meals, as TS meals cost more than CS meals and more value can be gotten from those. Others are more interested in the convenience of having all meals prepaid and are fine eating at CS if that's what they want to do. It's up to you and your party how you want to use the credits.

 

[Leshaface]

Kristen-

Did you feel that you were spending WAY too much time eating?

My husband and I are DEFINITE foodies!

We are still going to be touring all the parks, downtown, and might do other excursions...

 

[septbaby]

Be sure to book several 2TS meals, that will help you use up the credits, have great meals that will appeal to you foodies AND not spend time sitting down to meals 3 times a day.

 

[Colleen27]

In January, the theme parks will open late and close early so you need to look at your time management. Our honeymoon was in Sept. so the MK was often closed by 6, AK at 5, DHS at 7 and Epcot at 9. When the parks close early, you might be "forced" to eat dinner at a resort. Without a car, using only Disney transportation, it is a PITA to get back to your resort. (Of course, this was before evening EMH so you'd be a little better off now)

We found the short Jan. hours and the deluxe plan a good combo, because we weren't "wasting" park time on our signature dinners. We'd just have dinner after park closing, and we didn't find transportation to be an issue because of EMH. We never had to transfer at DTD and we only took one cab (after a 9pm dinner at Yachtsman).

 

[Leshaface]

That's a great idea! I didn't even think about the park closing early in the off season!

Still kinda nervous about the mounds of food i'm going to be eating!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Unless I'm mistaken you can use your meal credits for either table or counter service. Please let me know if I am incorrect as I'm just starting to decide between the regular DP or the DeluxDP.

You are correct, you can use the deluxe credits for either TS or CS, though it's a better value to use them for TS.

You could also do a signature dinner, and a TS lunch or breakfast, and then only have two meals a day. Trust me, two TS meals, and two snacks, was plenty of food a day when I used the deluxe plan. And I loved being able to eat at the signature restaurants without worrying about the cost.

I only paid $32 a night when I had the deluxe plan, (free dining,) but I'd pay the $70 a night price for it as well, since it pretty much pays for itself with dinners at the signature restaurants.

 

[TigerKat]

You are correct, you can use the deluxe credits for either TS or CS, though it's a better value to use them for TS.

You could also do a signature dinner, and a TS lunch or breakfast, and then only have two meals a day. Trust me, two TS meals, and two snacks, was plenty of food a day when I used the deluxe plan. And I loved being able to eat at the signature restaurants without worrying about the cost.

I only paid $32 a night when I had the deluxe plan, (free dining,) but I'd pay the $70 a night price for it as well, since it pretty much pays for itself with dinners at the signature restaurants.

Thanks!

 

[aurorafan]

Disney leaves it entirely up to you whether or not you want to use your credits for table or counter service when you are on the deluxe plan. Some users want to completely maximize their credits and plan to use all of them for TS meals, as TS meals cost more than CS meals and more value can be gotten from those. Others are more interested in the convenience of having all meals prepaid and are fine eating at CS if that's what they want to do. It's up to you and your party how you want to use the credits.

The bolded sentence is how we felt when we used the DDxP this past trip. I got it because I wanted to eat at CRT and Cali Grill for my 40th birthday, and I knew DH would have a heart attack paying OOP for it . In general we had 2 TS meals a day (usually breakfast & dinner) and one CS meal a day. Also, we got there at lunch the first day and had a late flight out the last day, so that helped as we were able to spread out the credits over more days. We did end up with several snack credits (which I wasn't expecting as we like our snacks ), but I just used them to shop in the gift shop at AKL before we left--chips, mickey pretzels, candy bars etc. .

We won't do it every trip, but I really liked it for the special occasion, and for the ease of not having to keep track of how many of what kind of credit we'd used and had left!

 

[SIMMSMOUSE]

great Info thanks

 

[kristenrice]

Kristen-

Did you feel that you were spending WAY too much time eating?

My husband and I are DEFINITE foodies!

We felt that our days were planned around our meals. Back then, there was no such thing as signature dining options. We ate at Jiko, Artist Point, Yachtsman, Narcoossee's, CRT, Brown Derby, Boma, Concourse Steakhouse, WCC (twice), LTT, San Angel Inn, Sci-Fi Dine In Theatre, Grand Floridian Cafe, O'Hana, the Luau, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's. We also ate at RFC which was included back then. I know we did at least one meal at the CS restaurant at WL. Those 20 meals were over 7 days. It became a "mission"....we were going to get our money's worth. Unfortunately, we ate entirely too much food.

If we were to do the DxDDP, we'd do a 2TS meal for dinner and a TS breakfast. That would at least spread out the meals and still give the feeling of "value". I have done the regular DDP twice and even that felt like a lot of food. On our next trip, we're going to try going without a dining plan. I'll still make ADR's, but I won't feel as tied down to them as I would if they were "credits".

 

[Leshaface]

We felt that our days were planned around our meals. Back then, there was no such thing as signature dining options. We ate at Jiko, Artist Point, Yachtsman, Narcoossee's, CRT, Brown Derby, Boma, Concourse Steakhouse, WCC (twice), LTT, San Angel Inn, Sci-Fi Dine In Theatre, Grand Floridian Cafe, O'Hana, the Luau, 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's. We also ate at RFC which was included back then. I know we did at least one meal at the CS restaurant at WL. Those 20 meals were over 7 days. It became a "mission"....we were going to get our money's worth. Unfortunately, we ate entirely too much food.

If we were to do the DxDDP, we'd do a 2TS meal for dinner and a TS breakfast. That would at least spread out the meals and still give the feeling of "value". I have done the regular DDP twice and even that felt like a lot of food. On our next trip, we're going to try going without a dining plan. I'll still make ADR's, but I won't feel as tied down to them as I would if they were "credits".

You did all these restaurants over 7 days!!!! My goodness that's quite a lot! If we get the deluxe dining, we'll DEFINITELY be doing 2ts/dinner and a ts/breakfast!

I bet this was quite an adventure for your palette!!!